Apparatus for vacuumizing and gassing containers



Dec. 15, W. MORGAN APPARATUS Fon vAcuuurzING AND GAssINe CONTAINERS Fuga June 27, 193s '25 two independent chambers.

UNITED lSTATES PATENT oFFlcE APPARATUS FOR VACUUMIZING AND GASSING CONTAINERS William H. Morgan, New York, N. Y., assigner to Continental Can Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application June 27, 1936, Serial No. 87,778

4 2 Claims. (Cl. 226-68) The invention relates tol new and usefulimprovements in an apparatus for vacuumizing and gassing containers preparatory to the sealing of the same so that the product within the con- 5 tainer is maintained in a non-oxidizing atmosphere.

An object of the'invention is to provide an apparatus wherein the containers are passed in succession through a vacuum chamber and then a gassing chamber with a valve between said chambers for conveying the cans from one chamber to the other, and wherein the entrance and dis- -charge ends, respectively, of said chambers are so disposed relative to each other that a single 16 valve may be utilized for delivering the containers in succession to the vacuum chamberand for receiving and discharging the containers in succession from the gassing chamber. In the drawing- 20 The ligure is a horizontal sectional view through an apparatus embodying the invention.

IThe apparatus embodying the invention includes a casing'having a partition extending longitudinally thereof, which divides the casing into Means is'provided whereby one of the chambers is adapted to be placed under vacuum and means is provided.

whereby the other chamber is .adapted to be continuously supplied with an inert gas, such as carbon dioxide gas. At the discharge end of the vacuum chamber and the receiving end of the gassing chamber, the casing is provided with a valve seat which is curved about a center and which is provided with openings leading, respectively, from the vacuum chamber and to the gassing chamber.

The valve cooperating with said valve seat is provided with a series of pockets. As the valve rotates, a pocket is presented to the opening leading from the vacuum chamber and a container is discharged into the Valve. The valve carries the contalner to the opening leading to the gassing chamber and the container is removed from the valve pocket and discharged into the gasslng chamber. Suitable means is provided for conveying the con I tainer along the vacuum chamber and for positively placing the container in the pocket o! the valve. Suitable means is also provided for removing the container from the pocket of the valve and for feeding the container along the gassing chamber. At the opposite end of the casing from the valve just described, there is a valve seat having openings leading to the vacuum chamber and from the gassin'g chamber, respectively. Thereis also a valve having pockets which cooperates with p5 the valve seat. Means is provided for feeding -municates with the gassing chamber 5.

containers in succession into the pockets of thevalve as it rotates, and means is provided for removing a container from a pocket and placing the same into range of movement of the feeding mechanism operating in the vacuum chamber. '5 Means is also provided for engaging a container at the delivery end of the gassing chamberfor placing the same in the pocket of the valve. Means is likewise provided for removing the containers from the valve Afor discharge from the appara- 10 tus.

Referring more in detail to the drawing. the apparatus includes a main casing having the side walls I and 2. This casing is mounted on a suitable frame and is closed at its bottom and also at 15 its top, vExtending longitudinally of the casing is a hollow partition 3 which separates the casing into two independent chambers 4 and 5.

The casing is provided with an extension 6 forming a chamber I which communicates with 20 the vacuum chamber il. It is also provided with` an extension 8 forming a chamber 9 which com- The casing has a central extension II) which separates the chambers. A valve seat II curved about a 25 center I2 is attached to the extension 6, the extension 8 and alsoto the central extension I0. This valve seat has an opening I3 leading to the chamber 'I and also an opening I4 leading to the chamber 9. There is an extension I5 secured to 30 the valve lseat II andv curved about the center I2. There is also an extension I6 secured to the valve seat II and curved about the center I2. These valve seats together with the suitable bottom and top connections constitute the valve housing.

A valve II is mounted for rotation about the center I2 in said valve housing, and this valve contacts with the valve seat I I and the extensions l5 and I6 thereof. The valve is provided with a series of pockets I8, I8. The valves and the pock- 40 ets therein are of .substantially the same construction as the valves shown in the Troyer Patent #1,983,252, granted December 4, 1934, and further detail description thereof is not thought necessary. y

The containers are conveyed to the apparatus by a conveyor I9 which moves thel containers along the support into range of the arms oi. a. rotating transfer device 20.- This transfer device positively places the containers one after 50 another in the pockets of the valve. Suitable guides 2|, 2I are provided for directing the containers. An arm of the rotating transfer device 22 reaches into a pocket while the valve is rotating and removes the container from the pocket and. positively conveys the same along the guide rails 23, 23 in the vacuum chamber and into range of a feed dog 24 on the conveyor chain 25. conveyor chain 25 may be of any desired construction and is intended to indicate diagrammatically a form of feeding mechanism for feeding the containers in succession through the vacuum chamber 4. The conveyor is located wholly within the vacuum chamber.

The casing is provided with an extension 26 at the opposite end thereof from the valve l1.

This extension is formed with a chamber 21 which communicates with the vacuum chamber 4. The casing also has an extension 28 providing a chamber 29 which communicates with the gassing chamber 5. 'I'here is also a central extension 30 which separates the two chambers 21 and 29. Mounted on the extensions 26, 28 and 3U is a valve seat 3| having an opening 32 leading to the chamber 21 and an opening 33 leading to the chamber 29. 'Ihe valve seat is curved abouta center 34. A valve seat 35 is fixed to the valve seat 3| and is curved about the same center 34.. The valve seats 3| and 35, together with the connecting parts at ithe top and bottom thereof constitute a valve housing. A valve 36 is mounted within-the valve housing for contact with the valve seats, and this valve rotates about a center 34, and in the direction of the arrow on the drawing. The valve 36 is similar in construction to the valve shown in the Troyer patent, and further detail description thereof is not thought necessary. 'Ihe valve is provided with a series of pockets 31. Mounted for rotation in the chamber 21 is'a transfer device 33. This transfer device takes the containers from the conveyor 25 and places the containers one after another in the pockets of the valve 36. Mounted in the chamber 29 is a rotating transfer device 39 which engages the container in the pocket and positively moves the container out of the pocket and places the same in the gassing chamber so that the dog 40 carried by the conveyor chain 4| will engage the container and carry the same through the gassing chamber. This conveyor chain 4| is diagrammatically illustrated and is which conveys the vcontainers away from the apparatus to the closing machine.

'I'he closing machine is set close .to the treating apparatus. lI'he containers are preferably of the type wherein the ends are secured .-to the container bodies by double seaming. The cover is placed onA the container and lightly clinched -thereto before it passes into the apparatus. This does not prevent the drawing of the vacuum on the container in the vacuum* chamber and the relieving of the vacuum with aineft gas asthe'- container passes through the gassing chamber. A pipe 45 is connected to the vacuum chamber 4 and any suitable vacuum creating means is connccted to this pipe and operates to maintain the chamber 4 under continuous vacuum. A pipe 46 is connected to the chamber 5, and this pipe 'is adapted to be in turn connected to a `suitable means for supplying inert gas, such as carbon jam in the transfer of the containers from the conveying means 2'5 to the valve 36. There is a similar door 50 for the chamber-29 and a door 5|. for Mie chamber 9.

In theoperation of the device, the containers are fed in succession into the valve I1, and are transferred from'the pockets of the valve to the conveying mechanism in the vacuum chamber 4. 'I'here are suitable guides 52, 52 for directing the containers through this vacuum chamber. 'I'he containers are taken one at a time from'the con- I vcyor and placed in a pocketl of the continuously rotating valve 36, and this pocket transfers a container into range of the stripping device 39 which positively removes the container from Vthe pocket and places the same on theconveyor in the gassing chamber. There are guide rails 53, 53 for directing the containers through the gassing chamber. When the pocket is in communication with the gassing chamber it will be filled with an inert gas, and the inert gas will be given upto the vacuum chamber 4 when brought into communication therewith. In this way, the containers are transferred from the vacuum chamber by a single valve to the gassing chamberwith the feeding of a small amount of inert gas back into the vacuum chamber. This delivery of a small amount of inert gas into the vacuum chamber does not reduce to any great extent the vacuum, and to whatever. extent it does reduce it. it is not diluted with air containing oxygen. In other words, the container after it is vacuumized is gassed under conditions of' transfer from one chamber to the other. which avoids any admission of air to the container.

In the apparatus as described, there are substantially eight containers at a time within range 'of the vacuum pull for drawing air therefrom, and each container travels the full length of the vacuum chamber so that it is subjected to a vacuum pull while it is traveling through the spacing of eight containers. If the lmachine is operating at the rate of forty containers per minute, lthen each container wouldbe under vacuum treatment for approximately twelve seconds. 'Ihe same is true during the gassing of the containers.

It is understood that changes in the details of construction and the arrangement ofthe parts may be made without departing from the Vspirit of the invention as vset forth in the appended claims. Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire. to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An apparatus for vacuumizing and gassing containers comprising' a casing, means extending longitudinally of the casing and dividing the same into two independent chambers,v means whereby one of said chambers may be placedv under vacuum, means whereby the other chamber may be charged with an inert gas, said casing having a valve housing at one end thereof provlaedwlth a curveavaive seat formed with openu l 2s longitudinally of the aosacvs I u Y valve cooperating with said valve seat, said valve having a series of independent pockets for con- 'veying containers to and from the respective I openings, said casing at the other end thereof being provided with. a valve housing having a curved valve seat with openings leading to the respective chambers. a single valve cooperating with said last-named valve seat and having a sel0` ries of independent pockets for receiving and transferring the containers from one chamber to the other. means for conveying the containers in succession through the vacuum chamber, means for conveying the containers in succession l5 through the gassing chamber, means associated with the valve at the receiving end of the vacuum chamber for transferring cans from the pockets thereof to the .conveying means in the vacuum chamber, and means associatedwith said valve 20 for removing containers irom theconveying means in the gassing chamber and for placing the same in the pockets of said valve.

2. An apparatus for vacuumizing and gassing containers comprising a casing, means extending same into two independent chambers. means whereby one of said chambers may be placed under vacuum, means 'whereby the other chamber may be charged with an inert gas, said casing 30 'having a valve housing at one end thereof provided with a curved valve seat formed with open`I 3 ings leading to therespective chambers, a single valve cooperating with said valve seat. said valve havingfa series of independent pockets for conveying containers tol and from the respective openings, said casing at the other end thereof 6 being provided with a valve housing having a curved valve seat with openings leading to the respective chambers,-a single valve cooperating with said last-named valve. seat and having a series of independent pockets forreceiving and 10 transferring-the containers vfrom one chamber to the other, means for conveying the containers in succession through the vacuum chaml :|ei,. y

- means for conveying the containers in succession through thevgassing c mber, means associated llil with the valve at the receiving end of the vacuum chamber for transferring cans from the pockets thereof to the conveying means in the vacuum chamber, means associated with said valve for removing containers'from the conveying means 20 in thegassing .chamber and for placing the 'same in .the pockets of said valve. means associated with the valve at the discharge end of said vacuum chamber for removing containers from the conveying means in the vacuum chamber and trans- 25 ferring the same to the pockets in said valve, and lmeans associated with said last-named valvev for transferring cans from the pockets therein to the conveying means in the gassing chamber.

wnmAM m MORGAN. 

